La Belle Dame Sans Amour
by weasleyjumper
Summary: A little bit of my English Homework for you all to read...Hey, I've uploaded maths work before! Based on the poem 'La Belle Dame Sans Merci'. NOT A POEM! A STORY!


I lie beneath the stony roof of my dark and dismal cave. The only decorations are moss and ivy fighting their way up the grey walls. My delicate wings are aching, folded underneath my back. At the mouth of the cave I see the sun climbing gracefully over the misty summer's morn. I rise and find the cool, clear stream that ripples and dances past my lonely dwelling place. I slip out of my ragged, well worn gown and wade cautiously in the icy waters. On impulse I plunge my whole head into its crystal clear waters, washing away the stiff tear-tracks on my dead looking face. I instantly feel myself come alive. This heightens my animal like senses and I hear the almost inaudible sound of deer's hooves on grass. I look up from the stream to see a young doe treading elegantly on the soft emerald grass of the banks. She bows her shining chestnut head and drinks the stream's water. I realise how thirsty I am and follow her lead. The water satisfies my dry throat as I lap it up like a dog. She gazes up at me with her wide brown eyes, full of fear as I met them with my own pair of violet and green eyes; she lowers her head back to the water. I eye her gleaming coat enviously, only wishing it were her own, the simple life of an animal would be much easier. Anything is better than my cursed existence. Anything. A twig breaks and both of our heads snap up. A regal stag, young as the doe, stands majestic before us upon the jade embankments. The doe ceases drinking and joins him. With one last look, can a doe show pity? She leaves me to dwell on my own sore fate.

I meander along the winding forest path, my feet bare and my long damp hair uncombed and falling in tangle to my hips. I reach my hunting ground, as I have come to know the beautiful space of flowers and grass. A woman awaits my presence.

"My daughter! I feared you wouldn't come!" She smiles, showing me her rows of black teeth; it is still filled with a mother's care. She tuts at my dishevelled appearance.

"How are you to find me life if you look like a peasant?" She scolded. I bow my head by way of apology, I don't trust myself to speak, it often seems that all she cares about is me keeping her alive. She hasn't asked if I am well, her own daughter. She thrusts a comb into my hands and sighs.

"Never mind, comb it." She sounds tired, the life seeping out of her. Her face is gaunt and deathly pale. I tug the comb through my red gold hair and she strokes the soft locks.

"My daughter you're such a good girl, good, good girl." She croons at me. I won't meet her eyes, knowing my vague thoughts of rebellion are evil. I must never stop doing this; I can never stop doing this. I've searched the land, spoken with the most learned elders. They all tell me that only the vibrant souls of young men, with ambition and courage, can keep her in her strange limbo with me.

"I must go now, child. You know what you must do." She tells me, her grave words didn't match the glee on her face at the prospect of living longer. In a swirl of midnight cloaks she disappeared. I made my way over to the tall oak tree that I lie at the base of every day. The grass isn't like the dewy grass of the stream banks, this grass is dry and scratches the soft skin of my back. I lose myself in a world of fantasies.

A rustle of grass on horse's hide brings me back from my dreamlike state to the pretty meadow in which I lie in. The sound and the cold dread that runs down my wings to my stomach where it settles are sickeningly familiar. I begin my old hunting dance, standing up and moving gracefully through the light green grass, filled with flowers giving off their intoxicating senses. I soon see the glint of sunlight on silver armour. I spy a young knight on a dappled horse. I imagine, as he finally sees me, that I must be quite a sight my hair blowing behind me on the ghost of a breeze and my sky blue dress against the jade grass. I fill my eyes with as much frantic warning as I can. The fool dismounts and walks towards me, his armour making a fearful noise as he clambers down. I smile and carry on towards him. In a silent communication we join each other and sit down. He sets about making the customary gift of flower garlands, bracelets and even a floral belt to adorn my waist. As he works I gaze at him. He has such an innocent aura, he has so many dreams, and I feel worse than ever about my plans for him. He finishes making his gifts and I let him to bestow them upon me. As he places the final garland on my head I meet his eyes. They are a stormy grey, so different from the friendly hazels, mischievous greens, warm browns and sweet blues I have seen before. I make a small, astonished noise; cold grey isn't how I imagined his eyes. He smiles at my tiny sound and pulls me across the field to the horse he rode in on. I sit side saddle as my mother told me. I allow him to wrap his warm, strong arms around me to take the reins, and for the first time, I liked it. I saw the woodland that I'd known since I was born in new colours, brighter, bolder colours. I watch as we ride through the day, the great burning sun falling through the sky, turning the clouds pinks and oranges that I've never noticed before. An exhilarated song escapes my lips. I watch his handsome face as he listens to the words that he doesn't recognise. I add a warning into the words of love and comprehension dawns on his features. He doesn't push me away, only brings me closer, he mistook the warnings for my declaring love. I saw my cave close by and tugged on the reins of the horse, willing it to stop. I find the floor and once my feet are firmly on the floor I begin to pick my way through the woods. He follows suit, tying his horse to a tree. I gather sweet foods from the bushes and I make him a strange little drink. He trusts me completely as he eats and drinks his fill. I pet his horse, she sees me for who I truly am, and I see the mistrustfulness in her eyes. I soothe it, reassuring it that I will not hurt its master. I return to her master and see that he has finished. I beckon him to follow me to my home.

I lay him down, his head in my lap. Stroke his dark hair, my cool hands warming. I glance down at his peaceful face, only for a second. Before I know it a fat salty tear rolls down my face, splashing onto his. He wakes up, startled. He exchanges positions and cradles me, I weep harder and he cups my face in his hands and his lips brush against my eyelids, closing them, he repeats this four times. The tears stop and I compose myself. Reluctantly I pull out of his grip and make him comfortable in soft furs of unfortunate animals. I sing him a lullaby, a lullaby that conceals an enchantment. The words I sing are breaking my heart. I am nearing the end of the spell when I realise I can't do it anymore. I call upon the spirits of the men I had hoodwinked before him. I can't wake him; he is the only one with that power, but I can cause him to wake. Eerie mists of empty souls shroud him and lift him, carrying him away from my cave. I watch as the swirling pearly white wisps carry him off into the distance. I scramble to my feet and watch from the mouth of my cave, as the man who has seen my mercy is taken from me to a faraway place where he'll never see me again. I sink to my knees in the knowledge that tomorrow will be worse.

**So...I wrote this last year for an English homework, and it's a fanfiction in a way so I've uploaded it...I'm sorry, is my awkward showing? It's incredibly over descriptive, I put too many words in the sentences. **


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